The Wizard of Oz

The play, based on the novel by Lyman Frank Baum, was created in a completely new adaptation by the great Polish playwright of the young generation Sandra Szwarc. It is a reading of this classic children's literature through the prism of contemporary America. Dorotka's world becomes a kind of cultural map of myths, icons, fears and dreams, encoded in pop culture, which has a huge impact on European culture, including Polish. In the dramaturgic layer, there are references to the aesthetics of road cinema, superhero cinema, youth series and contemporary family cinema, which deals with the theme of adolescence, otherness and the search for one's own identity. The journey of Dorothy and her companions through the land of Oz was conceived as a symbolic journey through the “media landscape”: a world of illusion, spectacle, promise and disappointment. Ideologically, the show raises several issues. One of them is that “homecoming”, in which the story of the journey to the Land of Oz becomes a metaphor for Dorothy's inner journey. But not only that — the themes of personal development, the search for identity, the power of friendship and spiritual awakening so fashionable today are inextricably embedded in Baum's text, in his characters and their journeys. And on this journey we take our viewers. This peculiar story of the road offers opportunities to use many original, theatrical and puppet means of expression. It was realized by the creators using the potential of the Big Stage and the possibilities of the entire arsenal of extensive studios.

A set of excellent directors who wanted to embark with Harlekin in this theatrical “road movie”, namely Lena Frankiewicz (director), Agata Stanula (scenography, costumes, dolls), Alisa Makarenko (choreography), Grzegorz Mazoń (music) and Robert Mleczko (light direction), Marzena Szkobel (sewing) costume design) guarantees an original approach to the subject and a high artistic level of production.

The performance is co-financed by the City of Łódź.

Some of the elements of the scenography were provided by IKEA Łódź.